


Vertical Displacement

by banbanabas



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Crimson Flower Route, Established Relationsihp, F/F, Fluff, Kissing, Post-Timeskip | War Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Tall and Small, Unabashedly fluffy, magic shenanigans, postgame, they kiss a lot that's it that's the fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-30
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:41:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22030471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/banbanabas/pseuds/banbanabas
Summary: Edelgard has to kiss Dorothea on tiptoes, and that's not a problem... usually.
Relationships: Dorothea Arnault/Edelgard von Hresvelg
Comments: 11
Kudos: 172





	Vertical Displacement

Edelgard hears a knock on her office door. "Come in," she says curtly, but oh, she sees who enters, and she immediately relaxes.

"Hey there, Edie," Dorothea says with a little wave and a smile. She closes the door behind her. "You ready for me to whisk you away to lunch?"

Edelgard glances at her paper-littered desk and then up at Dorothea, looking as radiant as ever. Usually Edelgard drags her feet on her way out, but this time, she’s tired and knows that no one else is expecting her for at least half an hour, so she makes a snap decision. She rises from her chair. "You know what? Yes. Let’s go."

Dorothea's brows quirk upward. "What? Really?" she asks. "I mean, that's wonderful! I’m surprised I don't have to cajole you out of your office today."

Edelgard makes her way around the desk until she's right in front of her lover. "Maybe today is different."

"How so?"

Edelgard summons her courage. "I just realized I could spend ten extra minutes bored out of my mind over trade agreements... or I could spend those ten minutes with you." She reaches up and tucks Dorothea’s hair behind her ear. "I think I chose right."

Dorothea's cheeks go red. "Aren’t you feeling bold today," she remarks, smirking now. She turns her head to look at Edelgard coyly out of the corner of her eye.

"Mm," Edelgard hums. She steels herself. "Yes. But I can be bolder."

She steps even closer and draws her thumb along Dorothea's jawline. With her pointer finger and thumb on either side of her chin, Edelgard tilts Dorothea's face downward, and she stands on tiptoes until they're close enough to share breath.

Dorothea isn't smirking anymore. Instead she holds still, her bright green eyes darting down to Edelgard's lips and then back up to meet her gaze. "Edie," she whispers.

It almost pains Edelgard to look away from her now, when Dorothea is breathless and waiting and wanting. But she still closes her eyes and leans in - she much prefers kissing her to just looking, after all.

She presses her lips to Dorothea's, soft and slow. She holds onto Dorothea's shoulder with one hand (standing on her toes isn't the most balanced of stances), and her other hand winds into Dorothea's hair.

Dorothea wraps both arms around Edelgard's neck and pulls her closer. She moves her mouth against her, and Edelgard can't help the hungry noise she makes.

She feels Dorothea's tongue brush against her bottom lip. It sends a thrill through her, so much so that she leans forward more until, oh dear, she's slipping and—

She falls against Dorothea, breaking the kiss abruptly to collapse face-first into her chest.

"Edie!" Dorothea shouts. She grabs onto Edelgard, one hand under her arm and the other at her hip. "Are you alright?"

Edelgard collects herself, trying not to get _too_ overwhelmed by her sudden proximity to the dip in the front of Dorothea's dress. "I’m fine. I just lost my footing."

Dorothea laughs, and she shoots Edelgard a salacious look. "Goodness, Edie, if you wanted to see my chest that badly, you could've just asked."

Edelgard blanches. She quickly steps back to put space between them, and she sputters, "That wasn't at all— I did _not_ intend to— I—"

"Relax, Edie, I know. I’m just teasing," Dorothea says, waving her hand dismissively.

Edelgard rolls her eyes and huffs. "You’re kind of hard for me to reach," she admits under her breath.

"That’s because you’re so compact."

"Compact?!" Edelgard shouts, crossing her arms and instinctively straightening her posture. “What is that supposed to mean?

Dorothea sweeps forward and cups Edelgard's face with both hands. "Nothing bad. You’re just a small person." She kisses her forehead. "But you’re also very strong, very smart, and very beautiful."

If she'd said it any other way, Edelgard might've taken it as mocking, but her tone is so sincere that she knows Dorothea means it. Edelgard blushes all over again.

"If you don't want to be on tiptoe, I can always lean over to kiss you," Dorothea notes.

"No," Edelgard says with finality. She tugs Dorothea's hands away her cheeks and holds them between her own. "I would rather elevate myself to your level than have you stoop to mine."

Dorothea snorts. "You say that like you're talking about Imperial affairs rather than about kissing me," she muses. "But either way, I might have a solution..."

"If you say stilts, I am sending you to lunch with Ferdinand instead."

Dorothea makes a face, and they both laugh. "No, not stilts. An actual solution. Hold still."

Edelgard waits. Dorothea swirls her hand in the air, and Edelgard squeaks as the strangest sensation comes over her. It feels like falling and rising at the same time, and she realizes her feet aren't touching the ground anymore.

"Wh-what is this?" Edelgard asks, frantically grabbing at Dorothea's shoulders.

"A little levitation magic," Dorothea says with a wink. She puts her hands on Edelgard's waist and waggles her eyebrows. "How does it feel to be at eye level with me, hm?"

Edelgard looks down to see the edges of her dress billowing like there's a breeze coming through her office. She kicks her legs, and her feet swing helplessly below her. "It’s a little odd, to be honest," she says, laughing nervously.

Dorothea laughs with her. "I can put you back down, if you'd like."

Edelgard lifts her gaze to Dorothea, and _wow_ , if she was radiant before, she looks divine now. She’s smiling hard enough that her eyes crinkle at the edges, and her hair is a little mussed from earlier... but the way she's looking at Edelgard just takes her breath away.

"No, I quite like it up here," Edelgard murmurs, her voice low. "You’re even more beautiful at this angle."

It’s Dorothea's turn to blush. "You flatter me."

"Yes, I do." Edelgard tugs her closer, but she finds that her weightless body moves toward Dorothea instead. Despite herself, Edelgard chuckles. "It’s like I’m moving in water without any resistance," she says.

Dorothea tightens her grip on her hips. "Oh, yeah?" she says playfully. Then she starts to spin in place, her boots clacking heavily on the stone floor.

Her spinning makes Edelgard rotate in a circle around her, and it feels floaty and weird but in a way that drags laughter from her chest. They’re both giggling like children, like they're young and for once don't have a care in the world.

Edelgard clings to her, holding herself flush against Dorothea, and they whirl about until both of them are too dizzy to move. Dorothea leans against Edelgard's desk, and they're tangled around each other, out of breath. "Hi, Miss Emperor," Dorothea mutters.

That gets another laugh from Edelgard. They’re so close that Edelgard has no choice, she _has_ to kiss her, so she brings their lips together roughly. She moves too fast, though. They bump noses. “Ack! Sorry,” Edelgard says, pulling back. Her voice sounds suddenly small.

Dorothea catches her lips again without a moment lost. “It’s okay,” she whispers in the barest space between them. She trails her fingers up Edelgard’s neck, making her shiver.

Edelgard dives back in. She’s more careful this time, tilting her head to get just the right angle, and Dorothea sighs against her. Edelgard snakes an arm around Dorothea’s back and draws her in. She feels her chest brush against Dorothea’s, and they both seem to shudder.

Suddenly Edelgard feels weightless for more than one reason. "You’re incredible,” she mutters.

Dorothea hums a contented noise. "You’re one to talk - oops!"

Edelgard yelps as gravity comes back in a rush, and she thinks she's going to hit the floor, but in the next instant Dorothea scoops her out of the air.

"Oh," Edelgard breathes.

Dorothea is now cradling her bridal style. Somehow it’s more intimate than the position they were just in, even though they’re technically further apart. "My mistake," Dorothea says, and Edelgard can hear the quiver in her voice that means she’s embarrassed. "I lost focus with the spell... at least I caught you."

"No need to worry," Edelgard says. She feels a little silly being held like this, but at the same time, she... also kind of likes it. (Not that she would ever admit it.) "I’m quite alright. That was… nice.” She hopes Dorothea can tell that she means it. “You can, ah, put me down now..."

"Already? Can’t I carry you to lunch like this?"

Edelgard stiffens in her arms. "What? Absolutely _not_!"

Dorothea gives her an exaggerated pout, but Edelgard can see the laughter in her eyes. "Aw, Edie, what's a little PDA when you're the ruler of all of Fódlan?"

"Unacceptable, that's what it is!" Edelgard retorts sternly, though she's sure her smile betrays her. "Now put me down! I can walk on my own, thank you very much!"

With an overly haughty sigh, Dorothea deposits her back on her feet. "Have it your way," she says. Then she links her arm with Edelgard's. "But I _am_ going to escort you properly."

Edelgard shakes her head, but her grin remains. "I can live with that."

And they depart, arm in arm, their laughter still echoing as they leave the office behind.

**Author's Note:**

> i regularly lose my mind about edelgard, dorothea, and byleth on twitter at @sporeprise


End file.
